Fighting Parkinson’s, and you are doing great!, part 2

Last week, I posted Fighting Parkinson’s, and you are doing great! I was excited to post this because if you are doing the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®, then you actually are doing great. Recently, I have been been studying some of the nuances of the gallbladder meridian, and have asked some people I am coaching to try some things relating to the gallbladder meridian, and I am ready to share this information with you to assist you in lessening some of your symptoms, which also should assist you in lessening your fear of those symptoms. In the end, again you will see that you are doing great!

A little background is necessary. When I had Parkinson’s and was developing the Recipe, I was experimenting on myself. Therefore, I felt I needed to have the full experience of the symptoms so I could learn how to cure the disease. The symptoms were nothing more than the notifiers to me of the larger problems underneath the surface, the causes, so experiencing the symptoms was something I found necessary in my development of the Recipe and in my recovery. Maybe this will help you understand better why fear of the symptoms was a luxury I could not afford.

As a result of this philosophy, other than GV acupressure for tremors, nothing in the Recipe is designed for symptom mitigation or lessening. The Recipe is designed to cure people from Parkinson’s Disease. To me, experiencing the symptoms without fear is just part of the recovery. I have learned over the years that most people do not experience the symptoms without fear. It is why I write about fear so much.

Well, the time has come for me to share some things “outside” the recipe that may assist you with lessening your symptoms…and lessening your fear of those symptoms. Today, I begin with the gallbladder meridian, and my plan is to share other symptom relief recommendations in future posts. The gallbladder works with the liver as an organ system, and the second half of the Recipe’s Medical Qigong for the Liver works on the gallbladder meridian. Click here to see the gallbladder meridian and meridian points.

I learned recently about people who lean toward one side and/or have their head tilted toward one side. If you look at the gallbladder meridian points 20, 21, and 22, you will see that leaning toward a side or having one’s neck tilted toward one side will pull the meridian between points 20, 21, and 22 in a straight, very tight line. The often leads to that arm shaking vigorously. If you sit up straight and lift the shaking arm straight up in the air, this releases the pull between points 20 and 21 and between points 21 and 22, and you may find your arm with little or no tremors at all.

Please take a moment to do this. Think about it. If raising your arm straight in the air can lessen your tremors all the way down to no tremors at all, apparently you had nothing to fear about your tremors. If you are leaning toward a side, here is my recommendation to solve the tremor problem so you do not have to lift your arm in the air every time you wish for the tremors to stop.

Do the Standing and Balance from the Recipe with your back to the wall, and then move your body from the waist up a tiny bit toward straight up and down. Then hold that position through the Standing and Balance Qigong exercise. Each day, you will slowly move from a leaning position more toward upright until you finally reach an upright and straight position. This takes time, patience, and the willingness to stand through some discomfort as the body “unbends” itself back to a straight posture.

Additionally, do acupressure on points 20, 21, and 22 on both sides of the body. Press each point with a fingertip or two and then massage in a circular motion for 30 seconds per point. And, do not forget to do the neck exercises from the Recipe.

Also on the gallbladder meridian is point 31. Point 31 is an excellent point for dispelling wind and opening up the meridian to relieve leg stiffness (rigidity), leg paralysis (freezing) and pain. Generally, you can find point 31 if you stand up straight, and let your arms hang straight down. Point 31 is on each leg, and will be equal with the tip of your middle finger when your arms are hanging straight down by your sides. Press point 31 with a fingertip or two and massage in a circular motion for one or two minutes.

If you want to seek pain relief, in general for your legs, do acupressure on points 44-30. Press and then massage for 10-15 seconds each point 44-30, starting at 44, on each side of your body.

Finally, if you look at the Recipe introduction where I identify the three main causes of what brings Parkinson’s symptoms to the diagnosable surface, number 2 states:
“2. Phlegm-Fire Agitating Wind, which is caused by dietary considerations such as consumption of too much greasy, fried or sweet foods.” This refers to the gallbladder.

The acupressure listed above will assist you in remedying many blockages in the gallbladder to enhance your recovery. However, what you put in your mouth, or do not put in your mouth, will go a long way to healing the already-damaged gallbladder. Dairy is an additional thing that overworks the gallbladder and creates the kind of Phlegm-Fire from number two…and this Phlegm-Fire agitates wind, which means it causes tremors! My recommendation is to slowly reduce, all the way to elimination from your diet, greasy, fried, and dairy foods, and foods that have refined sugar and white flour.

I recommend doing this slowly so you will not have an adverse consequence of withdrawal headaches and pain, particular from the eventual elimination of refined sugar and white flour. These dietary considerations will make a world of difference in how you feel, and in conjunction with the gallbladder meridian acupressure listed above, will lessen and/or eliminate your tremors.

Imagine that (this is the only one hard to imagine)…Howard is actually talking about alternative ways of physically “feeling better” instead of just talking about alternative ways of “getting better.” Apparently, that time has come as well!

YOU ARE DOING GREAT!

Okay, everybody, put big smiles on your faces and chant together so the whole world can hear:

“Parkinson’s is curable.
I am my own Parkinson’s cure.
I am halting, slowing, and reversing the progression of my Parkinson’s.
I am extraordinary.
I am recovery.
I am doing great!”

AND, I AM WORTH IT!!!

All my best,

Howard

NOTE: On this upcoming Friday, November 1, 2013, I will be issuing my third annual November to Remember Challenge. I will be challenging newcomers and those uncertain about staring the entire Recipe to make a 30-day commitment to themselves to do a scaled-down version of the Recipe for the month of November. I invite all of you Recipe veterans to post comments on this post and Friday’s upcoming post to encourage the others to accept the challenge. It would be helpful for them to know how you are doing, including any stories of the occasional “feeling no symptoms at all” that many of you have told me about. We are a wonderful community and I am grateful for whatever you wish to post and share.

6 Responses to Fighting Parkinson’s, and you are doing great!, part 2

Hey Howard….this morning was wonderful!…. a cool crisp and beautifully sunny Autumn morning in British Columbia (first morning with below freezing temperatures) …and the first morning in several months in which my body decided to celebrate the day…. walking so much easier…even my usually reluctant left arm was swinging!…how delightful!…. and synchronistic with your request to share celebrations! Happy to be alive and working towards recovery….. thanks so much for these additional helpful exercises…such amazing support!

Hi Howard,
It was a year ago that I took your challenge to do the 30 day challenge in November and I’ve been doing the recipe pretty regularly since the first of the year. I’ve had my ups and downs during the past year but as a whole I noticed that I definitely feel stronger after doing the recipe. I’ve had some discomfort in the area of my gallbladder meridian as I spoke to you about. You told me that it was indicative of energy flowing in that area currently and that my body was healing on the inside. My symptoms seem to come and go as far as severity and I know that I am healing, which gives me motivation to keep doing the recipe regularly. So grateful for your support and the additional information given in this post.

thanx, Howard…..so helpful, as always….and, informative…..I think the more we understand about our bodies and this disorder, the less fearful we will be….”knowledge is power”…isn’t that what they say?….

Hi Howard, What a beautiful time of year to be starting your recipe. I have been following it now for over 6 mos and what an improvement. I am also less anxious, impatient and fearful. It does not matter now if it takes me another 6 mos or 2 years to heal , I am on the path and it is so good to have all of you following yours too. Keep driving that train Howard, we need you at the helm and thank you for your dedication and love. Marilyn

hi howard
im also up for the challenge
after a difficult few weeks of fluctuating emotions n symptoms i welcome the chance to recommit to the recipe in its most essential form
thnx again for your vital and encouraging work
lindaxx